Saving te Duke eltan

mewp12

I think I did something backwards. When I returned to Baldur's gate after doing the tales of the sword coast. I am arrested, got out of that but I can't get back into Flaming fist to save the Duke. Every time I try 1/2 my party gets killed. I do not know how far to go back or if I should just stat over. I really do not want to do Durlags tower again. I also killed the assassins in the under cellar because they attacked me. What do I do now. Just let the Duke die?

Tresset

Moved to general discussion because this is not a bug.

elminster

If its entering the headquarters that is the issue it ends up being a tough fight. You may want to use control spells for it (Horror, Emotion: Hopelessness, Chaos, etc)

DreadKhan

I think Command works here too, if you have a cleric. Slow will make the fighting MUCH easier, as will web.

Whats your party?

elminster

The spell Sleep might also work against them. In all likelihood since they are just generic flaming fist guards/mercenaries they are level 4 or less, so it should work against them.

Edit: Hmm...looks like they are likely level 6.

Abi_Dalzim

Have somebody hold the Ring of Free Action or chug a Potion of Freedom to tank all the Hold Person spells; the Fist guards aren't too dangerous in melee, so a good fighter should be able to slaughter them if they aren't Held.

SharGuidesMyHand

mewp12 said:

...but I can't get back into Flaming fist to save the Duke. Every time I try 1/2 my party gets killed. I do not know how far to go back or if I should just stat over. I really do not want to do Durlags tower again. I also killed the assassins in the under cellar because they attacked me. What do I do now. Just let the Duke die?

You didn't do anything wrong - there's supposed to be a hostile batch of soldiers waiting for you in the compound. Notice that you don't lose reputation for killing them (unlike any soldiers that you might come across in the street) - that's because it's part of the script. It just happens to be a tough fight without the right tactics.

BelgarathMTH

Umm, I've also always had a lot of trouble with the potential "save Duke Eltan" quest, because of the being accused of murder and all. Actually, I've not been able to complete it in my past several years of runs in BG1.

The trouble is, I'm a goody-goody to the core, and if you go into the Flaming Fist compound and kill those guards on the bottom floor after being framed, your reputation will go down to three or lower after 2-3 kills, and your whole party will break if you're not playing an evil run.

That's rather ironic, isn't it? You would only care about Duke Eltan if you were good, but you have to be evil to fight your way to him without breaking your party down to Imoen and you alone.

I'm quite certain that once, I did complete the "save Duke Eltan" quest as a good character, but I'll be darned if I remember how I did it!

Can anyone shed some light here? It's not winning the fight that's an issue, it's getting to the Duke without sacrificing any reputation.

Scooter

@BelgarathMTH‌ a couple of invisibility potions and you only have to fight the doppleganger pretending to heal him? That's the way I usually do it.
edit: or invisibility spells or rings now I think about it.

BelgarathMTH

@Scooter, but doing that with a party of six is very problematic.

Hmm, there's the spell Invisibility 10', but I don't know if there's a scroll for that anywhere, and I've never wanted to waste a sorcerer spell slot on it. Other than that, one would need to horde six potions of invisibility throughout the game with this particular side quest in mind.

Does anyone know an easier way?

EDIT: Can you split the party down to two or so strong members, and leave the rest outside the doors of the Flaming Fist compound, while taking the two up to the top floor to complete the quest?

elminster

BelgarathMTH said:

Umm, I've also always had a lot of trouble with the potential "save Duke Eltan" quest, because of the being accused of murder and all. Actually, I've not been able to complete it in my past several years of runs in BG1.

The trouble is, I'm a goody-goody to the core, and if you go into the Flaming Fist compound and kill those guards on the bottom floor after being framed, your reputation will go down to three or lower after 2-3 kills, and your whole party will break if you're not playing an evil run.

As far as I know that issue was fixed a long time ago. You shouldn't be losing reputation if you kill those mercenaries/flaming fist.

Scooter

@BelgarathMTH‌ yeah, I'm pretty sure its not a party required area so you can only take up one or two characters if you want.

TheArtisan

From my experience the mercenaries in the Flaming Fist stronghold shouldn't cost you reputation, however if you go downstairs to the basement there will be one hostile officer who costs you rep if you kill him. There's nothing down there so don't go there.

As for the fight itself, I've never had huge issues with it, even when I rush Chapter 6. Hold Person is annoying since you can't easily spread out, but have you got Spider's Bane? Skeleton Warriors? Potions of Freedom? Tiax's Ghast? A couple AoE disables should also sort them out. If all else fails, buy a Chaos scroll from Sorcerous Sundries and blast them with it.

Darkchanter

I've always just sent in a tank (fighter) with boots of speed and potions of invisibility.

DrakeICN

Like others have pointed out, stun, chaos, horror, domination etc...

...but my favorite, that I use all the time, is to beat someone down to near death and then de-equip your weapon. They will then be knocked unconscious, and you can liberate anything that isn't nailed down, without anyone snitching and sending the pigs on you. If they wake up, knock them out again.

If they do snitch anyway, just cast invisibility on yourself (for quick getaways, thiefiery is best done solo, or mayhaps also with one strongarm mage/fighter, to assist with invisibility and persuading the otherwise recalcitrant to mind their own business).

Also there is a magical sword or shield (cant remember exactly) and some potions in the basement - just knock the officer out and help yourself to these generous gifts from the Duke. Consider them an extra, non-disclosed, reward

ThacoBell

You can also haste your party and blitz in. In my experience, the flaming fist don't follow you in unless they are already right on your heels.

UnderstandMouseMagic

BelgarathMTH said:

@Scooter, but doing that with a party of six is very problematic.

Hmm, there's the spell Invisibility 10', but I don't know if there's a scroll for that anywhere, and I've never wanted to waste a sorcerer spell slot on it. Other than that, one would need to horde six potions of invisibility throughout the game with this particular side quest in mind.

Does anyone know an easier way?

EDIT: Can you split the party down to two or so strong members, and leave the rest outside the doors of the Flaming Fist compound, while taking the two up to the top floor to complete the quest?

One person, boots of speed (which you will have from Cloakwood), one strength potion to carry the duke, two invisibility potions or one potion for the exit and a spell for the entrance (and of course turn off the AI).
In fact, with a spell to get you in and if you have bought the sandthief ring, you don't need a potion.

The only thing you have to do is fight the doppleganger (healer) in the bedroom. Even the FF guard upstairs just wants to go.

All these years I have always assumed that was the way you were meant to do the quest because otherwise you have to kill FF which is not a good thing.

helmo1977

BelgarathMTH said:

Umm, I've also always had a lot of trouble with the potential "save Duke Eltan" quest, because of the being accused of murder and all. Actually, I've not been able to complete it in my past several years of runs in BG1.

The trouble is, I'm a goody-goody to the core, and if you go into the Flaming Fist compound and kill those guards on the bottom floor after being framed, your reputation will go down to three or lower after 2-3 kills, and your whole party will break if you're not playing an evil run.

That's rather ironic, isn't it? You would only care about Duke Eltan if you were good, but you have to be evil to fight your way to him without breaking your party down to Imoen and you alone.

I'm quite certain that once, I did complete the "save Duke Eltan" quest as a good character, but I'll be darned if I remember how I did it!

Can anyone shed some light here? It's not winning the fight that's an issue, it's getting to the Duke without sacrificing any reputation.

Invisibility potions for everbody, or haste, or both. As long as you run for the stairs and reach them all will be fine. I have never been followed by guards, iirc.

helmo1977

elminster said:

BelgarathMTH said:

Umm, I've also always had a lot of trouble with the potential "save Duke Eltan" quest, because of the being accused of murder and all. Actually, I've not been able to complete it in my past several years of runs in BG1.

The trouble is, I'm a goody-goody to the core, and if you go into the Flaming Fist compound and kill those guards on the bottom floor after being framed, your reputation will go down to three or lower after 2-3 kills, and your whole party will break if you're not playing an evil run.

As far as I know that issue was fixed a long time ago. You shouldn't be losing reputation if you kill those mercenaries/flaming fist.

Yep. No reputation loss, except for that officer in the basement that someone mentioned.

PaulGreystoke

Yeah, I dealt with this this past weekend. The FF mercenaries on the 1st floor have some spellcasters, but killing them costs no rep, so I never have an issue with them. But on this run, there was an FF guard right outside the door, who would always aggro on my party & then follow me into the fight on the 1st floor. Killing him cost rep. My solution was to use the Charm Person spell from the Cloak of the Dryad to mollify him & then slaughter the mercs. Then I could play hero & save the Duke, without sullying my perfect reputation.

The lesson, as always, is that I need to remember to use my items (or spells) & not just beat everything to death with pointy (or blunt) sticks. No matter how often I relearn this lesson, it always comes as a revelation on a later playthrough.